Replaced
by Aro
Summary: --COMPLETE-- After spending two years at Xavier's institute, learning to control his powers, Gambit heads back home only to find out he's been replaced with a certain green eyed female Southerner.. ;)
1. Prologue

-

**Disclaimer** – I don't own X-Men: Evolution

A/N – Everything I'm writing seems to be going slow, so I decided to just start this for something to do. It'll only be a few chapters long. :P I guess this is a short prologue. 

-

"I didn't trust him the moment he walked through the door." Scott Summers, alias Cyclops, stood in the doorway of the living room. Jean stood next to him; her hand was placed on his shoulder. "And you know what, Jean? I still don't trust him and he's been here for nearly two years." He turned his head to see her facial expression, only to see her staring at the Cajun he disliked so much. "You're not helping." 

The red head blinked, and then glanced over at him. "Scott, he's leaving today. You can try to be nice to him his last few hours here, can't you?"

"I haven't been 'nice' to him since he stepped foot in here." He pointed out, with an _eye_ roll. 

"That's my point." She retracted her hand from his shoulder and gave him a 'don't-question-me' look. "Please, for once, just try to be a little nice to him."

"Jean!" The younger mutants in the living room glanced behind their shoulders and stared at the couple in the doorway. "We're rivals! We're not supposed to be _nice_ to each other." 

"Well." Jubilee said coolly with a hint of sarcasm. "I can't imagine who he's talking about." She smiled at Remy LeBeau, alias Gambit and Scott's least favorite person. No, no. His least favorite _human_ was Duncan and his least favorite _mutant_ was Gambit!

Kitty Pryde, who was sitting on the other side of Gambit, bobbed her head while smiling. "You _know_ he's going to miss you." When she decided to scoot over a little, to be closer to him, a bat with Lance's head flapped around in her head. She scooted over to the other side, making a weird face. 

"He's going to miss ye almost as much as Wolverine will." Rahne Sinclair, a young Scottish lass who could transform into a wolf, pointed out. 

Gambit, on the other hand, scratched his chin. "You girls wouldn't happen to have any boxes would you?"

Kitty nodded her head, "I do. What do you need them for?"

The Cajun smirked. "Parting gifts."

The three girls exchanged looks.

____  
  
  


"Remember Gambit, you're always welcome here and you will always have a home here." Professor Xavier said to Gambit as he said his adieu. 

"Better not let Summers hear you say that; he might throw away the 'welcome' mat." 

Charles chuckled, taking it only as a joke. "Ororo will drive you to the airport."

Gambit walked down the front stairs and inhaled the damp morning air. "Prof?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

The Professor stared off with the most Grandfather-y look you can imagine.

_____  
  
  
"At least Gambit tried to make peace before he left." Jean said as Scott examined the wrapped box the Cajun had given to him before departing. 

"I guess you were right." Scott chuckled, unwrapping the paper on it to open it. "I have to admit, I feel sort of bad." Wrapping paper debris dropped to the ground. Scott opened the lid to the box. "Uh oh."

Jean glanced into the box to get a good view of the present, only to see a red glowing Joker's card. Her eyes widened.

**Boom**. ****

_____  
  
  
Wolverine rode back into the garage on his motorcycle. Where he usually parked the motorbike, was a wrapped box. He grunted, and then sniffed the air. 

"Looks like Gumbo left a partin' gift. I ain't that stupid." He parked it away from the "present." After that, he walked over to the mini-fridge, where he kept his stock of beer and opened the door. A flaming card swayed to the ground. "Shit." 

**Boom**.

_____

Remy smirked to himself as Ororo left the institute grounds at the light explosions in the background. He had definitely left his mark. 

"There a reason why you're takin' me to the airport? I can drive myself an' last time I checked you were a weather witch, not a chauffeur." 

"I'm just making sure you get there safely. Don't forget to call us when you get home."

"I'm twenty, not ten. You gonna have monthly visits too? Make sure I'm being treated like the thief I am?" 

Ororo laughed lightly. "We're not going to check up on you—"

"Much?" He finished.

"No, Gambit. I mean; you are twenty years old, not ten."

_____  
  
  
Brushing his bangs out from his eyes, Remy walked through the grassy woods, knowing the bayou wasn't too far away. His heart rate seemed to increase when his house came into view. It was late at night, and right now, all he wanted to do was sleep. Suddenly, he saw a dark figure carrying something. His eyes flashed in the darkness. Someone dared to break into a thief's house? That was absurd! Dropping his duffel bag, he ran towards the figure, tackling them to the ground. To his surprise, the figure was slender; as if the person were frail as they landed hard on the ground. 

"What the hell!" Came a female's disgruntled voice. That's when his red eyes met the girl's unfamiliar green ones.

"Who the hell are you?" 

_____  
  
  
I know I shouldn't be starting a new fic but I did anyway. =) So far, is it stupid? Crappy? Not good? R&R and tell me. :D 


	2. Chapter One

-

"You replaced me?" Remy stood in the kitchen, staring at his father in disbelief. The girl he had tackled minutes earlier, sat on a wooden chair looking both tired and annoyed. He gestured her. "With a _girl_?" She rolled her eyes at the comment. 

"We didn't replace you." Jean-Luc said with a heavily sigh. "We just needed someone to take your place while you were away."

"That's replacin'!" 

"So." The girl stood up, rubbing the abrasion on her elbow. "Do you always attack people when they're takin' out the trash?" She had a light Southerner accent and two distinctive white stripes framing her faces. She had shoulder length brown hair pulled up into a ponytail. 

Remy ignored her, mentally noting to apologize for that later—maybe. He looked at his father. "Did you give her my room too?" 

"Well, Remy, I'm willing to share your bed with you." She sounded as if she were talking to a five year old. 

Remy sat down, mumbling things in French. A loud smacking sound was heard when he let his head drop onto the table.

The girl winced. "That's gonna leave a mark."

_____  
  
  


"Her mother was an assassin. Trained and brought her up the same way she had been." 

Remy was sitting with his father in the living room. He sat on the couch, a bored expression written on his face. "Ain't she special." 

"I don't like that attitude, boy. Didn't they teach you any manners in that school you went to?"

"I went there because you wanted to make sure I didn't end up blowin' off my hands. You know I ain't useful to you if I can't steal anything." 

Jean-Luc's dark eyes flashed with anger. "You know that ain't true. It was hard watchin' you head to some school where your talents are a waste." 

Remy grunted. "Did you forget why I went to _some school_?" He glanced up at his 'father.' "You're just ashamed that I'm a mutant." 

Before Jean-Luc could respond, Rogue appeared in the doorway. "I moved into the guest room so the Swamp rat here could have his little room."

"Thank you, Rogue." Jean-Luc said sharply after inhaling deeply. 

Remy sat up, "Good. Then I'm goin' to bed." He walked out of the room, lightly bumping into Rogue on the way. "'Night _Rouge_." 

Her eyes practically shot daggers at him as she twirled around. "That's Rogue, Remy." Short pause. "Hey, isn't that a _girl's_ name?" 

"Rogue?" He called back in a beat. "Isn't that an elephant?" 

Rogue shot a look at Jean-Luc. "Cute son."

_____  
  
  
Remy was used to early training sessions every morning so it wasn't a big surprise to him when he woke up early the next morning. He felt a ping of regret for coming back as he recalled what had happened last night. Like he really wanted to see his two faced father and that—that—_that river rat_! 

He was the Princes of Thieves! He was a grand master thief! He was a skilled fighter. Within two years there was no way he could be so easily replaced, especially with some girl!

He pulled himself unwillingly out of bed. When he stood up, he sighed heavily and collapsed back onto the bed. It was useless. There was no point. 

After laying there for five minutes he could only feel self-pity for himself. He then decided he needed a cigarette. Once again he dragged himself out of bed, grabbed his trench coat and hesitantly walked out of the room that once was his.

_____

"Mornin' sleepin' beauty." Outside, Rogue was doing kick/punch/block combinations on a kicking bag that was bolted to a tree stump. She was wearing a green tank top underneath a sweatshirt and black pants with white running shoes. He found it to be odd that she was wearing gloves while working out. 

Remy merely grunted as he took out his pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took one out before putting it back. After that, he took out a lighter and lit it.

"I'm surprised you can stand being within several feet of me." She stopped what she was doing and turned around to face him. 

"Me too." He mumbled, taking a drag from his fag. 

"Do you want to _play_?" She walked up to him, a serious look set upon her face. 

He exhaled the smoke into her face. "Excuse me?" 

"You know, do you want to _fight_?" She took the cigarette from him and took a drag from it before flicking it into the grass. "O' are ya afraid t' fight me?"

"I ain't afraid." He snapped down at her. "You'll probably just scratch at me and pull out my hair."

"_Sugah_, if I was goin' to pull out anything it'd be the peach fuzz growing below your lips." 

"_Touch_." Without realizing it, he reached up and rubbed the ugly fuzz. How dare someone threaten it! Now he shall blast her with his ray gun! Or not. 

"C'mon Rem. I've been compared to you so much and heard so much about you. I want to see how good you really are." 

He wanted to fight her. But it just felt so odd. Would he just come right out and hit her? Would he get into a stance? If he were fighting anyone else, he would know the answer. Why was this so different?

Apparently, Rogue answered his question because before he knew it, her fist was sailing at his face. 

______  
  
  
_Back at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters.._

Kitty walked down the hall in her uniform ready for the day's training session. "You think Remy is having fun back in the Big Easy?"

Jubilee shrugged as she pulled on the yellow gloves. "He's probably having the time of his life." 

"Lucky bastard." Amara, who looked like she woke up on the wrong side of the _volcano_, snapped as she hurried past the two. 

_____                     

It was almost as if they were dancing. Of course, one wrong movement out of pattern they were going in could be proven fatal. Well, maybe not fatal but it would hurt. 

The harder Remy would punch, the faster Rogue would block. 

"Not bad." Rogue said right as she ducked to avoid a face height outside crescent kick. She dropped back and in a beat, she swept his legs out from under him. 

_____  
  


_Back at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters.._

  
"Scott, Jean, you both look like you stepped foot in a land mind!" The students laughed at their instructors. Bad move, if I might add. Laughing at the ones in charge of your training session? Ah, so young; so inexperienced. So much they needed to learn about life. 

_____

Remy's Tante Mattie stared out the window as she dried a dish with a dishtowel. "Twenty minutes later and they'll still at it." She glanced back at her brother. "You and the boy talk about _it_?" 

Jean-Luc grunted taking a sip from his drink. "He's so mad at me for "replacin'" him he won't even look at me." 

"You should have told him about Rogue while he was in New York." She placed the dish in the rack and moved onto the other wanting to be dried dishes. 

"It was too soon to talk to him then. With his powers goin' haywire an' everything."

"Excuses, excuses." She looked out the window to see the two Southerner's still at it. Both were breathing hard. Rogue was pined underneath Remy and struggling to kick him off. "What are we goin' to do about them?"

Jean-Luc sighed and walked over to the door. "I'll go pull out the hose."

_____  
  


_Back at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters.._

"Did you see Wolverine?"

"I heard there's no hair left on his head."

"I heard he took off to kill Remy."

"I guess we'll be paying attention to the news."

"And watching for the headlines in newspapers, 'Bigfoot kills a demon.'" 

"I didn't think his feet were that big.."

"Headlines tend to exaggerate."

Ah, rumors. 

_____  
  
  
"C'mon love birds, not in the backyard." Jean-Luc sprayed the two with the hose. Remy yelled curses in French, and Rogue just yelled the non-lady like words as they scrambled to get onto their feet. 

"Do you mind?" 

Rogue ringed out the bottom of her sweatshirt. She shot a look at Remy. "Can't ya blow 'im up o' something?" 

The hose was immediately shut off. Remy just looked at as loss for words as he turned on his heel and quickly went back in.

Rogue's brows arched up. "Was it something I said?"

_____  
  
  
  


"I don't want no more of that fightin' between you an' Rogue." Jean-Luc said to Remy later that day. "You two are goin' to get along."

"Don't hold your breath."

"What don't you like about 'er?"

"What do you like about her?" That was when it finally dawned on him. "She's a mutant. You're usin' 'er like you used me." 

Jean-Luc sighed. "Once you see what she's compatible of.." 

"This is sickening." With those words, Remy got up and left the room. _I should have never came back 'ere._

______  
  
  
_Rogue was sitting on her bed, in dry clothes, reading a book. She didn't even bother to glance up when she heard heavily footsteps walk into her room. Although she looked up when she heard the locking sound of the door. She raised a brow at Remy. "What are you doin'?" 

He leaned against the door, folding his arms over his chest. "Tell me about yourself, Rogue."

_____  
  
  
_Just thought I'd leave it off there. It's a better place to pick it up for the next chapter. _

_Thanks for reviewing y'all. =)_


	3. Chapter Two

"In a minute, I'm almost done with this page." With her eyes glued to the page she was reading, she waved her hand at him without much care or thought. 

He shot her a look. A look she didn't see because her eyes were still looking down, moving back and forth, from reading the book. "Aren't we social?" 

She turned the page before he had spoken and shut the book after he had said what he had said. She looked up at him with her brows raised. "You're the one to talk, ya little Swamp thing you."

He rolled his eyes at her last comment. "What's with you and you're attitude?"

"My attitude? Since you've gotten here all you can piss and moan about is how I replaced you." Rogue gently put her book down, got up and walked up to him. "I didn't replace you. I didn't hire myself. Your father did. So, instead of acting like I took over your life, work out your issues with the person who caused them." 

He inhaled deeply. "He's usin' you."

She merely shrugged as she reached forward to unlock the door. "Who isn't?" She opened the door with enough force to knock him forward enough so she could escape.

"Wait.." Remy paused, grabbing her shoulder. "What's your mutant power?"

Rogue just wiggled her brows suggestively at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She left, and he just stood there with a smirk on his face.

_____

  
  
He had definitely lost his touch since he had gotten back to New Orleans. Well, maybe not his touch, but maybe his cool, per say? Well, all in all, he just wasn't himself. The cocky ragin' Cajun needed a comeback. 

Remy knocked on the door, which lead into his father's office. When he heard a muffled, 'what do you want?' he walked in to see Jean-Luc hunched over his desk, drawing something. "Got any good jobs that need to be done?" He asked, smirking at the other Cajun's surprised face as he looked up at him. 

"Thought you didn't like that life anymore." 

Remy resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he shrugged. "Fine by me. If that's the way you want to keep it." He slowly turned around.

"No, wait." Jean-Luc licked his lips. "I do have a job for you. But it's a two-person job. Meanin' you'd have to work with you're _replacement_."  The sarcasm on the last part was a nice touch, don't you think? 

"Fine by me." He repeated again and smiled evilly to himself. He was so good. Perhaps he didn't lose his "touch" after all. If he had to work with Rogue, at least he'd get a chance to witness her mutant power.

"It's good to have you back, Remy."

He nodded, but looked hesitant as he spoke. "That's Gambit, _père_." 

_____  
  
  
"Ooh. Stealing priceless jewelry. How original." Rogue mumbled, putting her feet on the table to tighten the straps on her combat boots. 

"Rogue, get your feet off the table." Tante Mattie pushed her feet off the table. "If you're going to do that, at least put coasters underneath the heels." 

"The Ripper's have their eyes on this piece." Jean-Luc handed Remy a picture of some kind of rare priceless jewel. 

"What if they're there when we get there?" Rogue asked, tucking loose strands of white hair behind her ear. "Will we just welcome them and have a tea party?" 

Remy glanced sideways at her, wondering how Jean-Luc managed to put up with her. 

Apparently, Jean-Luc had grown prone to just ignoring her because next, he just cleared his throat. "I'll tell you all you need to know."

_____  
  
  
"He was planning this, wasn't he?" Remy asked as he got into the driver's side of the car. 

Rogue shrugged. "Probably. He thinks he has you tied around his fat, chubby little finger. But we all know—" She scooted in closer to him as she got into the passenger side. "That you only agreed to this because you wanted to be close to me." 

If this had been any other girl.. Remy shook his head and started the car. "You keep thinkin' that." 

"I know you love me somewhere in that black heart of hatred." She winked at him before handing him a pair of sunglasses. "As great as your eyes are, someone can see them and identify you by them." 

He grunted and pressed a button on his watch and then turned and looked at her. "This good enough to go out in public with you?" 

"Your eyes are brown." Her nose scrunched up in confusion. 

"Can't get anything past you."   
  
  
_____  
  
  
"Can you fly?"

"No."  
  
  
"Do you have super strength?"

"No." 

"Are you able to—"

"If you don't shut up, I'm goin' to _knock_ ya out!" The second he parked the car a block away from the warehouse, she got out and hurried down the street without him. 

"Hey!" He slammed the door shut and practically had to run to catch up with her. "If anyone is going to get fed up and walk away angry, it's going to be me!" He stopped walking when he realized how stupid that sounded. 

"You're such a drama queen." Rogue shot at him as she turned around. "You act as if the world revolves around you." She shot him a nasty look and hurried off once again. 

"Don't go away angry." He yelled to her. "Just go away!" 

"I will!" She turned around to yell at him and then turned back around. 

"Good!"

She turned around for the third time, "Good!" Each time they yelled at each other, their voices got louder. "You're goin' the wrong way, moron. We have a job to do an' I'm doin' it with o' without ya." 

He sighed. He'd rather have a one-on-one session with Eye-boy back at the institute then spend one more minute with this girl. "Fine." 

Rogue arched up one brow. "Fine.. what?"

"Fine let's do it before I change my mind." 

"All right, _princess_." 

____  
  
  
"I'll take the front entrance, you take the back exit." Gambit said to Rogue. "Can you handle it?" He asked in a hushed voice. 

"I'm goin' to make ya eat those words." She leaned in, her face just inches away from his. "_Spoon feedin'_, _cher_." Rogue then walked away from him, swaying her lips.

He just stared off at her, biting down on his lower lip. Taking a deep breath, he took out a card from his pocket. _Time t' play._

______  
  
  
_"Hey man, did you hear that?" A security guard walked down the hall to see two other guards laying unconscious on the ground. "What the heck is going—" He never go to finish his sentence for he suddenly felt a cold hand grab the back of his neck and it was lights out for him.  
  
  
_____  
  
  
It amused Gambit on how he could charge up a card and toss it at two guards and they'd just fall to the ground unconscious. Just to make sure they weren't faking it, he took out his bo staff and poked them several times. 

Doesn't the mental imagine just make you want to laugh?

After a minute of poking, Gambit took out a walkie-talkie from his pocket. "Exit 'A' cleared, over."

Seconds later, Rogue's voice came over a static background. "You—" Static. "—sure?" 

He almost laughed. Was she kidding? Hello, he was a master thief! He knew how to take care of a few security guards. "Did you forget who you were talkin' to?" He asked in his best cocky Cajun tone of voice.

"No." Came the response, only seconds later. 

____  
  
  
_Short chapter I know, but that's what you get for an update a day. :P Life's a bitch, I know.  
  
  
If you have any questions, ask away now. I'll answer them in the a/n's for the next chapter. _  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter Three

"No way."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes—Rogue, just go."

"I don't do air vents."

"Stop bein' a baby and get it after me."

"Why? So I could have my head stuck up your rear?"

"Not possible. You already have your head stuck up your—"

"If you want to live, I'd advise you to stop talking now." Rogue pushed him back a little. "I'll go in first. You follow." Right before she climbed into the narrow vent, she looked behind her shoulder at him. "And no funny stuff." It wasn't until she climbed in when he knew what she was talking about.

"Damn."

_____  
  
  
"Are you sure you know where we're supposed to be going?" 

"Rem, _sugah_, _don't_ argue with a girl who can shove her foot down your throat." He tried to keep his head down to keep him from staring at her ass. 

"I love it when you talk dirty." He mumbled sarcastically. "How do you know where to go, anyway?"

"Lets just say a little guardie told me." 

"In other words, I don't want to know?"

"Bingo."

"Does it have to do with your power?"

She was hesitant. "Perhaps." 

Now, he was hesitant. "Are you a telepath?" 

"No."

"Then--"

"Remy!" She snapped, coming to a stop. "The storage room is below the vent."

"How do we get down there?"

"I was hoping you'd know. C'mon, you're Remy LeBeau." She grunted as she looked behind her shoulder at him. "You're a master thief. You can figure this out." 

"What about you?"

She laughed. "Rem, I've only been trained for fighting skills. I ain't much of a thief. Your pops wants me to get into it."

"Now you tell me." 

"We don't have much time—"  
  
  
"I'll charge up a card."

"You're goin' to blow us up?"

"No. I won't make that mistake twice." He shot at her. "I'll only use a little energy and throw it down a few feet."

"That doesn't sound like a great idea."

"It's our only option, unless you want to head back."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. As long as you're in front of me."

"To protect you?" He asked, suddenly smirking.

"Yeah. So you get the most force."

His smirk dropped. "I feel the love." He mumbled sarcastically. He then struggled to take out a card, and right as he was about to charge it, they both went through the ground.

_____  
  
  
"My god." Gambit mumbled with a cough. "That hurt." He groaned as he sat up. "A lot." It wasn't too long of a drop. The two southerners just didn't know their way around. Well, Rogue knew more than Remy, but who really cares. Shut up, no you don't. "Rogue..?" He glanced over to see herr sitting several feet away from him, looking a bit paler than usual. 

"Don't pretend you're worried, Remy. I'm all right." The little color her face had, returned. He smirked; indeed she was all right. He got to his feet, and gave her a hand, which she hesitantly took. He second she stood up, she let out a short cry of pain and fell forward into him. Okay, maybe she wasn't one hundred percent 'all right.' "I think I landed on my ankle wrong."

  
"_Think_?" He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.

"All right, I know." She pulled out from his embrace and limped over to a crate and sat on it. "The jewel is in crate number 0069666." 

He grunted. "Great numbers." He looked around the room, at the scattered crates. "This is going to take a while."

____  
  
  
"It's not  here."  
  
  
"Yes, it is." Rogue was still sitting on the crate but now her boot was off and she was rubbing her swollen ankle, which wasn't helping. At all. She winced as she put her boot back on. "It has to be. I know the man put it inside the crate because they're bein' sent to some auction house next month." 

"And you would know that.. how?"

"I'll explain when we get back home."

When she said home, it just reminded him of why he disliked her so much. He just pushed off the anger he still felt from it and stared over at her. "But we checked every.." It suddenly dawned on him. "What crate number are you sittin' on?" 

Rogue scooted over to the side of the box and read the number she had been sitting on. She glanced over at him, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Opps."

_____

"Well, this is cute." The black jewel with a green crystal placed in the middle was placed in the palm of Rogue's hand. 

"Yeah, we went all this way for cute jewelry. We've been here way too long. We have to run."

"You more than me." Rogue pointed out. "I could hop out on one foot." 

As funny as the mental image was, he wasn't going to let her do that. "Get on my back."

"What?" She blinked, leaning forward to drop the jewel into his pocket.

"Get on my back." This time he said it slower.

Rogue looked hesitant to do so. "Aren't we humble?"

"Just do it." 

"You sure?" She asked in a small, serious tone. He just nodded, barely noticing the difference in the tone of her voice.

  
"Yeah."

_____  
  
  
"You two went on an easy mission yet one of you still managed getting injured." Jean-Luc shook his head as he put the stolen jewel in a safe. 

"Hey, at least I didn't cause it." Short pause. "Our weight did." 

"You two gettin' along any better now?"

"Do you want me to tell the truth or tell me what you want to hear?" 

Jean-Luc rubbed his chin. "Lie to me." 

"We're engaged." 

"Not that much."

"We're in love."

"A little less."

"We're friends."

"That's good to hear." He patted his son's shoulder. "I'm goin' to go seek more missions for you two."

Remy sighed. "So soon?"

"This is your life, boy."         

"More like your life. Why don't you ever do it?"

"Because I ain't the one with mutant powers. You're lucky I got Rogue or you'd be doin' this alone since—"

"Don't even say it." Remy said coldly. "Don't even bother."

"Am I interruptin' anything?" Mattie asked, walking into the room with the first aid kit in her arms. "Rogue has a sprain. She'll have to keep off it for a few days." 

Jean-Luc sighed heavily. "That's wastin' too much time."

"Stop bein' a dick." Remy snapped at his father before leaving the room.

Mattie glanced over at Jean-Luc. "I see you two are gettin' along as good as before. Even better than before." She said, her words dripping in sarcasm. 

_____  
  
  
Rogue sat on her bed, an ice bandage was wrapped around her foot and ankle. She stared down at it with a weird look on her face. 

"Rogue?" Remy walked into her room, once again shutting and locking the door behind him. "We need to talk."

She just raised a brow. "Need? Mister LeBeau, you must have a lot on your mind."

_____  
  
  
_In school, I wrote out the subplots for this chapter and ended up using maybe two out of the whole page written for this chapter.   
  
  
**dreamschemer** Remy and Rogue won't get along until they understand each other. They really need to communicate, ne? In the next chapter, they'll actually have a decent conversation. Not banter. Maybe.  
**Lady Farevay **^_^ That was in deed intended to be a pun.   
**ishandahalf **Actually, there's a reason Rogue doesn't care much about being used by Jean-Luc.  
**Nightcrawler03 **I have **no** idea if it'll end up a ROMY. Since I'm a romy lover, you can only take a guess..  
  
  
Not too many people even asked something and ff.n is being a bitch and won't let me see any reviews because of traffic or something. Oh well.  
  
  
I'll try to update tomorrow night but since I have Nighttime Tutors tomorrow, I'm sure if I can. =( I'll probably skip it if I can. I'd rather write than teach a little kid numbers 1-20 four million times.. _


	5. Chapter Four

"Come here." Rogue patted the empty space on the bed besides her. 

"What?" He raised one brow, wondering what she was up to. 

She just rolled her eyes. "Just come here and sit down. I don't bite." Short pause. "Too hard, that is. Just sit down." He still continued to stand there, staring at her like she just asked him to handcuff her to the bed and to have his evil ways with her. "If you want me to tell you my mutant power, sit your arse down—now." 

"Bribery?" He finally walked over and sat down on the bed next to her. 

"Well, it worked, didn't it? Now—" She slid off the glove on her left hand. "Let me get dramatic for this." Rogue turned to face him better. She brought her bare hand up to his face. He raised his brow yet again. "Lets just say that if I touched you right down, I could absorb your memories and power."

His jaw fell and he glanced sideways at her hand. "You steal mutant's powers?"

"Yeah." She retracted her hand, feeling a small ping of disappoint when he looked relief as she did so. "I'm a mutant power thief." She breathed in sharply, "And did I mention when I absorb a person, I render them unconscious?"   
  
  
"Can you control it?"

"Sometimes." Rogue answered, avoiding eye contact. It suddenly seemed as if she were ashamed of her power, and he felt it as he stared down at the side of her face. "So." She glanced up at him. "Is blowing stuff up all you can do?"   
  
  
"About." Suddenly, he laughed lightly, running a hand through his dark hair. "Wow.. this is the longest we've gone without arguing or being sarcastic with each other." 

"Don't get used to it." She laughed, patting his leg only to feel him practically jump out of his skin. There was suddenly an uncomfortable, awkward silence. 

"Is that Tante Mattie callin' me?" He suddenly asked standing up.

Rogue stared in the opposite direction of him. "Just go."  
  
  
_____  
  
  
"You and Rogue gettin' together any better?" Mattie asked her nephew later that night. 

"No." He answered, flipping through stations on the television. He was sitting on the couch; a bored expression was set on his face as he stared straight ahead with zombie like eyes. "Don't know why you and pa keep askin' that." 

"Because you two can't be in the same room for two minutes without arguing with each other?" She suggested with a smirk. "It's almost like you two fight like an old married couple."

"No. We fight like a couple that doesn't even know each other." 

"What would you say if I told you your father rearrange a marriage between you two?"

"I'd say what are you smokin' and can I have some?" He finally turned off the television and looked over at her. "He tried that before. It didn't work out well, remember?"  
  
  
"It was only a 'what if.' Jean-Luc did think you guys would hit it off. You're more alike then you think."   
  
  
"Yeah." Remy grunted, standing up. "Right."

"Where are you goin'?" She asked as he walked past her.

  
"Out back."

"Rogue is out there." He could almost see the smile form on her face.

"Figures."  
  
  
"Play nice."

"Always."  
  
  
_____  
  
  
"What are you doin'?" Remy walked out into the dark, humid night to see Rogue in the swamp. The water went up to the middle of her calf.  
  
  
"Nothin'." She answered in a small voice.  
  
  
"Looks like a whole lot of nothin'." 

"No it don't. Standin' here ain't a whole lot."

"It's a sayin'."

"Well, it's a bad _sayin'_." 

She was pissed off at him. He knew it. "Rogue." He walked in as far as her and, with hesitation, placed his hand on her shoulder. "I—"

Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Rogue shoved him. For a split second, her eyes flashed with anger but they went back to their normal neutral emotion. She just stared down at him. He was sitting on his behind in the swamp with a surprised look on his face. "Well, aren't we in a _mire_ situation." She snapped at him before walking off, back into the house.  
  
  
_____  
  
  
"I know he's related to you an' all but he's a bastard!" After taking a shower, Rogue stood in the hallway, talking to Mattie. "After findin' about my power, he freaks me like a freak and won't even touch me an' then all of a sudden—"  
  
  
"_Rogue_." Remy, who had changed his clothes, walked down the hall in heavy footsteps. "I know you haven't liked me since I got here—"  
  
  
She spun around. "Excuse me Remy but I never had a problem with ya until ya got all whiney 'bout me replacin' ya. I was even gonna forgive you about attackin' me out of nowhere that night until all your bitchin' and moanin'. To tell you the truth, right now, it's not even 'I don't like you', it's I can't even stand ya!" 

Mattie excused herself immediately while Remy just smirked. "You're one of a kind, Rogue."

She blinked up at him, surprised. "Er, what? Did you even hear what I said?"  
  
  
"Actually, I tend to doze off after the same person speaks for over several seconds."  
  
  
While debating whether or not he was serious, Rogue just looked extremely uncomfortable. "I'll keep that in mind." 

"I know sayin' I'm sorry won't help."

"You got that right. Especially since you wouldn't say it with sincerity." 

"How about I made it up to you? Over dinner?" What the hell was he saying?  
  
  
Rogue was wondering the same thing. She gave him a look of disgust. "God no. Who the hell do you think you are? You're askin' me out after---"  
  
  
"Over dinner. In the kitchen." He cleared his throat before she could go on anymore. 

"Well, aren't we in romantic." 

"You just can't ever be happy, can you?" 

She thought about it. "No." Short pause. "Can you?"  
  
  
"No."   
  
  
Rogue just smiled at that, tucking strands of white hair behind her ear. Right as she was about to say something, Jean-Luc rushed out.  
  
  
"You two get ready _now_." He barked at them. "I have a mission for you. If you don't leave now, the Ripper's will beat us to it."

Rogue thought the vein sticking out of his forehead was going to pop.  
  
  
_____  
  
  
Next chapter – _Rogue and Remy make a pact. I wonder what the pact is going to be? _  
  
  
I was going to write more but I'm exhausted. =(  Sorry but I'm really tired. I have at least three more chapters planned out, and perhaps an epilogue.  


	6. Chapter Five

"So." Rogue limped over to Remy who was fiddling with his Bo staff in the kitchen. "What crawled up your father's arse an' died?"   
  


"Don't you know anything 'bout the Ripper's?" He asked, staring down at his _staff_ with a puzzled look. He glanced over at her sideways. "Our families are rivals. He jus' found out they did something he's been plannin' to do fo' months. Although he is in denial about 'em already doin' it." Which meant they had to stay   
"Geesh." Rogue sat down in a chair while he leaned against the table. "He's actin' as if they stole his rattle." 

"Get used to it." He placed the bo staff into a pocket of his trench coat. "Seein' as how you've been here for two years, you always should be."   
  
Rogue cleared her throat. "Actually, we haven't really dealt with 'em. Well, _I_ haven't." She glanced down at the ground. "So, why ain't we leavin'? Your father did seem like he wanted us to go."  
  
"Don't take 'im serious." He let out a small chuckle as he took out a cigarette. "I never do." He placed the fag between his lips and then took out a lighter and lit the end of it. 

Rogue stood up and lightly pressed her body against the side of his. She reached over, taking the cigarette from it. "C'mon. I'd say get your jacket on, but you never take it off. Lets go."  
  
He arched a brow up as she walked away, flicking his lit cigarette into the sink and then turning on the faucet. When the running water came to a stop, he asked the question that's on all of your minds, "Where we goin'?"   
  
"Out." She grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. "Before Jean-Luc notices we're gone."   
  
"So, it's okay for you to ask me out?" He asked, letting her drag him.   
  
She glanced back at him. "I ain't askin'." She pointed out.

"Ooh." He said as if it made perfect since to him when he had no idea.   
  
"You sure you don't want to drive?" Remy asked Rogue as she climbed into the passenger side.  
  
"Nah. I don't want to put any more stress on my foot than I have to."  
  
He shot her a look as he sat down in the driver's seat. "Isn't walkin' on it puttin' stress on it?"  
  
"Yeah but drivin' would be _more_ stress."   
  
"You're just goin' to damage it more by walkin' on it."  
  
"Thank ya Docta' LeBeau. Feel free to start the car anytime now."   
  
He did as ordered but didn't move the car. "Where we goin'?"   
  
She shrugged. "How should I know?"  
  
"This was your idea."   
  
"Ugh. Lets go get somethin' to eat."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Anywhere."  
  
"What kind of food are you in the mood for?" When she shot him a deadly look, he took the hint. "Fine. I'll pick a place. Any disagreements with me choosin', _m'queen_?"  
  
"No, _peasant_. Just drive."   
  
"Into a brick wall? My pleasure."  
  
"I can't believe you forgot to put gas in the car." Rogue was sitting on the hood of the car. Her eyes followed a pacing Remy. In response, he mumbled something incoherent and in French. "Where were you takin' us anyway?"  
  
"To a diner a few miles outside 'Orleans." He answered with a shrug. "You said 'just drive.'"

"That I did." She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "So we're gasless and communication-less. Great." 

"The most we can do is wait for someone to go by—" He looked down the deserted dirt road, in hopes of a car to come down it on cue but he wasn't that lucky. "—or we walk to the nearest gas station."   
  
"I'm not walkin' an' you're _not_ leavin' me here alone."   
  
"Then how do you plan on us gettin' back home? Do you want me to carry you?" She just smiled at him. His face deadpanned. "No way. You're worse than a backseat driver."  
  
"Fine. I'll stay here and make sure no one attacks the car."  
  
Now, that was worth a smile. "All right sounds good. You stay put and maybe I'll come back for you in several hours."

"Screw it, I'm walkin'." She got off the hood of the car and limped over to him.   
  
"But who's goin' to watch the car?"   
  
It wasn't long (only a few steps) until Remy had Rogue on his back. She had her arms wrapped loosely around his neck while his hands had a sturdy grip on the back of her thighs so he wouldn't drop her.   
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"Backseat driver." He reminded with a yawn. "And I know we passed a gas station about two miles away."  
  
"So we still have a lot of walkin' to do?"  
  
"_We_, Rogue?"    
  
"Okay, you more than me." When he cleared his throat quite loudly, she sighed and buried her face into the back of his head, "Okay," She admitted, "You _a lot_ more than me." She lifted up her head. "So. What's up?"   
  
"Not much. Just meanderin' 'round parts I haven't seen in about twenty four months."   
  
"Are you sayin' we're lost?"   
  
"We're not lost."  
  
"Yes, we are."  
  
"I was better off throwin' you in the truck and jus' leavin' you there."  
  
She ignored his comment. "Why do you wear a facemask thing? Deformed ears?" He felt her pinch his ears.   
  
"Do you mind?" He asked, squeezing the back of her thighs as he pushed her up more.   
  
"Do _you_?" She asked, wrapping her legs around his waist, crossing her ankles together by the buckle of his belt.   
  


"I can't believe you're supposed to be a trained assassin."  
  
"Correction numbskull, I was trained by an assassin; Mystique."

He came to an abrupt stop. "Mystique?" He asked coldly. "Jean-Luc said you were trained by your mother."  
  
"Mystique is my mother, dimwit." She unwrapped one arm and knocked on the back of his head. "Not by blood, though. You really don't know much about me, do you?"   
  
He slowly began to walk. "What do you mean, 'not by blood'?"   
  
Rogue rolled her eyes. "She adopted me when I was four."  
  
"You were adopted?" So, this was what Mattie had meant when she said they had more in common than he thought. He heard her mm-hmm in his ear. "Do you even know where Mystique is?"   
  
"No. And I don't care to know either. She ain't exactly a motherly figure."  
  
Remy closed his eyes, recalling the events of Mystique, the high-pitched blue skinned woman who was in charge of the Brotherhood of Mutants back in Bayville. He opened them, noticing that night was beginning to fall. "How'd you end up with Jean-Luc?"  
  
Before Rogue could answer, a car came in sight, driving down the road, stopping right next to them. Remy immediately recognized the driver. "Tessa?"   
  
"Need a lift?"   
  
"Where have you two been?" Mattie stood in the kitchen, drying a dish.   
  
"We went out for a bite to eat but the car ran out of gas half way there. " Remy answered simply.  
  
"Which reminds me." Rogue mumbled, rubbing her stomach. "I'm still hungry."   
  
"Wait." Mattie said, setting the dish in the dish rack. "Didn't you take Jean-Luc's car?"  
  
"Yeah." Remy answered, suddenly remembered he abandoned the car. With the keys still in the ignition.

"Well, did you refill the tank with the gas container your father keeps in the trunk in case he runs out of gas?"  
  
Remy and Rogue exchanged glances.   
  
_Aro is going to bed now. I might not have time to update this tomorrow but I'll definitely update Changes and this story by Sunday._

_Ugh. I tried to update before going to bed but got "Document Manager is currently being outfitted with a new QuickEdit feature. Please come back in a few hours." So I'll most likely just post this before school tomorrow. I hate you ff.n.   
  
Remy' Ange.. what the hell!? Why'd they do it!? :|_


	7. Chapter Six

  
  
  
"Out of all the things they could be doing, they're watchin' the tube." Jean-Luc stood in the doorway of the room, his sister standing next to him. She patted his shoulder.  
  
"At least they're getting along." 

He grunted. "Like that's goin' to last long." 

Mattie just chuckled as they walked out of the house, leaving the two Southerners on their own.   
  
Remy just grunted. "We should splatter some fake blood around for them to see when they get back."   
  
Rogue, who was sitting next to him on the loveseat, glanced at him sideways. "Do you know how to make it?" 

He smirked, his eyes meeting hers. 

ooo  
  
"Are we makin' waffles?" Rogue asked, sitting up on the counter as Remy took out a container of corn syrup.   
  
"No, we're makin' fake blood."   
  
"Why do I have a feelin' I should just go to bed an' pop a Valium?"   
  
"Shut up and find me some red food dye." 

"Find yourself some red food dye." She shot at him, not feeling the need to hop off the counter and to hop around finding him red dye. He walked over to her, leaning in towards her while placing his hands at the sides of her knees, near the side of the counter.   
  
"So, what is it you do around here?" Remy felt slightly surprised when Rogue suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm a sex slave." She said with a wink.   
  
"Figured as much. My father certainly didn't hire you for your thieving and fighting skills."   
  
Rogue just stared at him in a daze momentarily, as if she were in deep thought. All of a sudden, she sighed heavily. "All right. Counting backwards from ten only delays the time you want to hit someone."  
  
"You want to hit me?" He smirked, leaning in far enough where his face was only an inch away from hers.   
  
"More than anything." She slowly unwrapped her arms from around his neck but kept her hands on his shoulders. Within seconds, his hands were placed on her hips and he leaned in his head even more. "Did I ever tell you how good of a tackler you are?"    
  
That had only made him laugh as he backed away from her. "So, you goin' to help me with this?"  
  
Rogue bit down on her lower lip. "Nah." She hopped off the counter and landed on one foot. "I'm goin' to go watch television."  
  
He arched up one brow. "Are you _really_?"  
  
"Yes, I am." She stated matter-of-factly as she limped out of the kitchen, she glanced behind her shoulder as she left, throwing a, "—_really_," at him.   
  
ooo  
  
Less than a half hour later, Rogue was sitting comfortably on the couch, watching some annoying guy blabber Australian phrases as he poked an allagator. She rolled her eyes as she turned the TV off and decided there was nothing decent on to watch. Before she knew it, she heard quick footsteps and suddenly, something wet and sticky was shoved into her face. She yelled out some non-lady like language as she reached up and touched her face only to see the wet and sticky was actually red, wet and sticky. "Swamp rat!" She got up and raced into the kitchen.  
  
ooo  
  
"Somethin' the matter, Rogue?" Remy stood there holding a squirt bottle full of fake blood. With a growl, which oddly reminded the young Cajun of a certain Canadian, Rogue lunged forward, tackling Remy into the table. She landed on top of him and the squirt bottle was between them. The pressure of their bodies being pressed together caused the contents that were inside to be squeezed out.    
  
"You're not such a bad tackler yourself." Remy laughed, ignoring the pain he had encountered. "But _chére_, you have somethin' all over your face."   
  
"You are so goin' down, Cajun!"  
  
He smirked up at her. "But Rogue, you already have me down."   
  
"You think this is funny?" She grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt and saddled his hips. "I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your pretty li'l face."  
  
"Promise?" He asked as she reached down to grab the blood filled squirt bottle. "Ah-ah-ah!" He sat up immediately and grabbed both of her arms. "I don't think so."  
  
"But Remy, this is war."  
  
ooo  
  
There was much struggling, pushing, shoving, and grunting. Both Remy and Rogue were red and sticky from head to toe and so was the kitchen floor they were fighting on.   
  
After an hour of pointless wrestling, Remy laid sprawled out on the ground. Rogue was rolled up in a ball next to him but her head was resting on his abdomen.   
  
"Well." She mumbled, breathing in deeply through his nose. "We could always tell your parents we disagreed on how to make the waffles." He just grunted in reply.   
  
Remy then reached over and patted her head. "Are your eye lids startin' to stick together?" 

She blinked. "Yeah." Short pause. "An' I think we're stuck to the ground."   
  
"What the.." Mattie and Jean-Luc stood in the doorway of the kitchen, staring down at the two with raised eyebrows.   
  
Jean-Luc just put his hands up. "You know what? I don't want to know." He then turned on his heel and walked away.   
  
"Are you two all right?" Mattie asked; unsure of what to say as she stared down at them with her right eye twitching.   
  
"I'm not even sure." Remy decided with a yawn. "What about you, Rogue?"  
  
"Goosfraba?" She mumbled, licking her lips. "I need a shower.  A long shower."   
  
Mattie sighed and just turned around. "I need a Valium." She mumbled, walking off. 

"Who's goin' to take a shower first?"   
  
Rogue sat up and mentally realized she was going to be sore later. "Either way, I'm goin' to go first." They both got to their feet and Rogue gave Remy a look.  
  
"I ain't carryin' you up the stairs. Don't even ask."  
  
"Remy." She gave him a small pout.   
  
"You look too ridiculous for me to fall for that."     
  
"You don't look any better."  
  
"If you do, I'll let you take your shower first." '_Because I want to take a long bath._' She mentally added. 

  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Would I ever lie to you?" They were both silent. "Okay, _don't_ answer that."   
  
ooo  
  
"Remind me never to make blood again." Remy mumbled to Rogue, who was sitting on a towel on his bed, as he walked out of the bathroom.   
  
"Next time we'll use real blood."   
  
"We're goin' to spill a li'l of your blood?"   
  
Rogue just stood up. "I'm goin' to go take my bath."   
  
"It's okay to spill my blood an' not yours?"  
  
"Of course."   
  
"So, you want me to carry you into the bathroom and give you a sponge bath?"  
  
Rogue shook her head but smiled. "Nah, but I'll take ya up on that sponge bath later." With a wink, she limped into the bathroom.   
  
And for the first time in weeks, or even in months, Remy felt a slight fluttering feeling in his stomach. 

ooo  
  
_UGH. I hate ff.n. They won't let me use my usual line thingers to separate scenes so I had to use ooo's. They look so.. unhappy. :(_


	8. Chapter Seven

-

"So, it looks like you an' Remy had fun this afternoon." Mattie smiled over at Rogue as they peeled potatoes for dinner. "You two looked cute together. Comin' in to see you an' the boy drenched in blood an' layin' all over each other."   
  
"We weren't layin' all over each other!" Rogue stated, nearly dropping the half peeled potato that was clenched in her hand. "I was jus' kind of usin' him as a pillow." A small blush crept onto her white cheeks.   
  
Mattie smirked as she began to cut up the potatoes. "I'm thinkin' we should move your bedroom farther down the hall now. You can't mix pleasure with business." She glanced up to see Rogue's cheeks burning brightly now.   
  
"It ain't anythin' like that." Rogue mumbled as the pale white color began to return to her cheeks after several minutes of silence. "I'm surprised we didn't kill each other—"  
  
"You two played nicely." Mattie said with a soft chuckle. "If you guys did that days earlier, the blood probably would have been real." She wiped the water and starch that was dripping off her hands onto her white apron. "You're fond of Remy now, aren't you?"   
  
Rogue just felt like her tongue swelled up. "I—well—you see--" She trailed off, feeling speechless as to why Mattie was discussing this to her. "I don't hate him." She mumbled, starting to feel slightly lightheaded. "If that's what ya mean."   
  
Mattie winked at her before standing up. "I think you know what I mean, Rogue."  
  
-----------  
  
He could still feel her body pressed up against his and he could still smell her personal aroma that had carelessly tickled his senses when she had wrapped her arms around his neck.   
  
Remy shook his head, as if it would clear his thoughts. It didn't help at all, not that he thought it would. For the past few days, all he could do was think about her and how she practically took over his territory and now all he could think about was Rogue and how she had touched him.   
  
"Somethin' wrong, son?" Jean-Luc asked, looking up from the newspaper he was reading.   
  
"No." Remy mumbled, standing up. "I think I jus' need to take a cold shower."   
  
Jean-Luc just smirked and went back to his reading.   
  
-----------  
  
An hour later, Remy sat on his bed writing a letter back to Xavier. It wasn't like he had anything else to do. He had his headphones on and didn't seem bothered by the music blaring from each end. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. As if it were on impulse, he reached back and set his hand on the gloved hand that had been set on his shoulder. He then felt his headphones being lifted up, off his head.   
  
"Dinner is ready." Rogue's voice sounded shaky, but she covered it up with a cough. "You goin' to eat?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" He asked, turning his head to see his hand still placed over hers.  
  
"You seem bothered by somethin'." She squeezed his shoulder. "Wishin' you saved up some of that fake blood for us to wrestle in?"  
  
Remy closed his notebook and smirked. "No, I was thinkin' we could mud wrestle this time." He slowly slid his hand off hers and stood up. "So, what's for supper?"

"Mesquite, mashed potatoes, biscuits an' corn on the cob is what's for _dinner_. Shall I escort you, _monsieur_?" He looped his arm through hers.

"_Merci_, _mademoiselle_."   
  
-----------  
  
"How was that cold shower?" Jean-Luc asked Remy as they got seated for dinner.

Remy just eyed Rogue who was reaching over for the bowl of mashed potatoes. "Not cold enough."   
  
Mattie glanced over at Rogue and studied her for any facial expressions and got nothing. She sighed heavily, feeling impatient. _Guess I'll have to be the catalyst. _"You just took a shower a few hours ago. Why'd you take another one?"

Jean-Luc shot his sister a look. "You know Remy, he can't ever be too clean."

Mattie shot him a look right back. "Well, it ain't like him to take two within several hours."

"Maybe he still felt sticky from the blood." Jean-Luc said in a stern voice.   
  
"Maybe he wanted to clear his head."  
  
"He doesn't have to take a cold shower to do that."

"But you know why he had to take a cold shower."

"Because he was coming clean!"

"My point exactly!"

Rogue and Remy exchanged glances.

"So, Tante Mattie, would you pass me the corn?" Remy asked, forcing a smile before their row went on any further. "_Please_." He mumbled louder, in a strained voice.

Rogue cleared her throat. "The plate is next to your arm, Rem."   
  
This was going to be the longest dinner Remy had ever experienced.  
  
-----------  
  
"Hey, are you all right?" After dinner, Rogue and Remy were left to clear the table and to do the dishes. Mattie and Jean-Luc were arguing over something, but it didn't seem to bother the two younger Southerners.   
  
"I'm fine." Remy brushed up against Rogue, which made her tense up, as he threw a fork into the sink. "Are you?"   
  
"I'm not sure."

"How can you not be sure?"

"I just can be, all right?" She snapped at him as she turned around only to be face-to-face with the cocky Cajun.

"Someone is in a bad mood." He smirked as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to talk?"   
  
"Yes I do." Rogue mumbled, placing her hands on his belt and tugged on it. She leaned in and licked her lips. "Just not with you." She then turned around and started walking out of the kitchen.

"What about the dishes?"

"You have hands. Use them. For washin' dishes that is." She threw over her shoulder.

Remy rolled his eyes; she was going to be the death of him.

-----------

Remy was exhausted. He shred off his clothes until he was in his boxers and fell into his bed. He laid prone with his head shoved into his feather pillow. It made it harder to breathe but it took his brain a while to register that. He grunted as he turned around on his back. He closed his eyes and waited for his body and mind to shut down for the night. It never happened. His eyes popped open. It took nearly a half hour for him to slowly start to drift away into a slumber.

And then he was pulled out of it when he heard the creaking sound of his door opening. He made a mental note to put the oil to some use for it. When he heard the screaming door close, he sat up. "Rogue?" He immediately recognized the distinctive white stripes in her hair.   
  
"Mornin'."

"It ain't morning."

"It's after twelve."

"Is it?" He reached over and grabbed his digital alarm clock. He sighed. "That is it." He dropped it on the ground and turned back to her. "Want somethin'?"

"Yes, Remy.." She walked over to his bed and sat down. "I want you."

"This is some kind of sex dream, isn't it?"

Rogue shook her head. "No, unless I'm dreamin'."   
  
"Dreamin' about me?"  
  
"Oh yeah, you know it." She cleared her throat. "Actually, earlier you asked how I got here?"

"I know how you got here. You see Rogue, when a man loves a woman.. Oh hell, when a man has a one night stand with a 'professional dater'.." He trailed, mumbling inaudible words. "And months later, the woman comes back sayin' he has to pay for child support.."   
  
"That's not what I meant an' you know it." She stared down at her bare hands. "Your father didn't hire me."

Remy just groaned. "Let me guess—you're my half sister?"   
  
She mumbled something like 'god forbid' and shook her head. "Mystique didn't want me leavin' the South. She was friends with your father and knew the situation and told him I was trained and could, well, replace you."

"So you really were my replacement. Why didn't Mystique want you to go with her?"

"Somethin' 'bout losin' me to some bald guy. She has a friend who can see into the future an'.." Rogue shook her head. "I don't know. It's all very complicated."   
  
"So, you don't even like bein' here."

"When I heard you were comin' back, I was kind of hopin' that would mean I was leavin'. Apparently, it ain't lookin' like that." Rogue then stood up and slowly walked over to the door. "I never meant to take your place."

"You didn't." He said, quickly getting to his feet. Remy grabbed her arms and pulled her back. "Don't get sappy on me now, Rogue." He whispered to her.

"I don't get sappy!"

"Yeah right, that was like a soap opera minute!"

"Like hell it was. If it were, I'd _really_ be your half sister an' I'd be pregnant with your child." Suddenly, with force, he grabbed her by the shoulders and backed her hard into the wall. "What the—" She was cut off when his lips were pressed up against hers.  
  
-----------  
  
**I'm not in the mood to answer reviews but I want Angy to know I DO in fact feel special. 3**


	9. Chapter Eight

In Rogue's mind, she slapped Remy as hard as she could across his cheek. But in reality, he still had her pushed up against the wall and their lips were still attached. Back in her mind, she was now stomping all over him.   
  
"Remy." Rogue whispered against his lips as his hands ran up and down her sides. "I don't want to absorb you." His hands rested on her hips.   
  
"Wouldn't you have already?" He asked, squeezing her hips as he pulled her against him. He leaned in, kissing her once again.   
  
This time Rogue was left breathless and felt lightheaded. "I.." She started to say when her eyes met Remy's. "I.." Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and she then fell forward into his arms.  
  
--------  
  
Remy sat on a chair that he had placed next to his bed where Rogue was laying. He felt slightly energy drained, but that could have been from the fact he was still tired.   
  
"Nice boxers." Rogue mumbled from her prone position on his bed. She turned her head and stared at him.

He smirked. "They're silk. Want to feel?"

"Maybe later."   
  
"You feelin' okay? Girls don't usually faint after kissin' me. They just rip off my clothes and have their evil ways with me."

"Not this girl, sugah."   
  
"What, you don't want me to spoon you?"   
  
Rogue sat up, got off the bed and quickly started walking to the door, "Okay, I'm out of here." Remy immediately sprung up and grabbed her before she could leave.  
  
"Don't."   
  
"Why? Or you'll randomly tackle me?" She shot him a look. "And before you try kissin' me again, remember I can absorb your ass, Swamp rat."   
  
"Why didn't you absorb me before?"   
  
"Because it's a full moon? I don't know, leave me alone."   
  
"Leave you alone? But you want _me_."   
  
"Yes, I want you unconscious on the floor."

He blinked, not fully getting her sarcasm. "Didn't know you were into the kinky stuff."

Rogue couldn't hide the smile that formed on her face. "You really blonde, Remy?"   
  
"Says the girl with platinum _blonde_ hair." He tugged on a ringlet of her white hair. He leaned in and softly kissed her forehead.   
  
"Didn't you hate me _yesterday_?"

"I never hated you."

"Could've fooled me."  
  
He pulled her over to his bed. "Did I ever tell you I was sorry for tacklin' you?"

"Don't know. Can't recall it. Want to show me how sorry you are?" Rogue asked with a teasing smile.   
  
The door suddenly opened and Mattie peered in. "Could you two please try to be more quiet? These walls are paper thin."

Both Rogue and Remy choked on their spit.  
  
--------  
  
The next morning, Rogue woke up tangled in sheets white Remy laid on the floor with one leg propped up on the bed. After spending a good five minutes on untangling herself, she slowly slid off the bed and sat down next to him.

With a small sigh, she gently touched his lips with her index finger and traced patterns down his neck and onto his chest. As she ran her finger down the smooth center of his chest, she could feel her powers dying to absorb a life source. It was as if her powers were bouncing against an invisible force field and with each hit; they became closer to the surface.   
  
There was no way she was going to allow herself to absorb him. As quietly as she could, she got to her feet and quickly walked out of the room.  
  
--------  
  
Rogue scrambled into her room and fell on her knees right in front of the nightstand near her neatly made bed. She opened up the drawer, and took out a kit. She then sat crossed legged on her bed, opened the kit and took out a syringe that had a clear liquid in it.   
  
Mystique sent her a package once a month, containing a serum that would delay the effect of her powers. What a motherly gift.   
  
Rogue just sighed heavily as she took off the plastic lid.  
  
--------  
  
He had woken up the second he heard the sound of his creaking door. Remy groaned and sat up. He stumbled over to the alarm clock where he found out it was only a quarter after eight. A whimper escaped his lips as he fell back with a heavy thud. There was no way he was going to be able to fall back to sleep. His muscles groaned as he unwilling got to his feet. "Better go see what Rogue is up to."   
  
--------  
  
Rogue sat on the counter in the kitchen wearing red flannel pants and a black tank top. She was running an ice cube down her arms and neck. "I hate the heat."   
  
"You're in heat?" Remy pondered, walking into the kitchen. His brows arched up when he saw her. "Need some assistance?""Yeah. Want to _do_ my back?"  
  
He smirked. "_Do_ I ever." He walked over to the fridge and pulled out two trays of ice cubes. "Lets go do this on the porch."  
  
She shook the water off her hand. "You want to go out on the porch in only your boxers?"  
  
He glanced down. "I should put pants on, shouldn't I?"   
  
While Rogue's insides where screaming 'hell no!' she only managed to nod her head.   
  
--------  
  
'_I'm goin' to have to take a long cold shower after this.' _Remy said to himself as he ran an ice cube around Rogue's shoulders. They were sitting outside on the porch in the humid weather. "When are you goin' to do this to me?"   
  
"When the ice cube doesn't melt before it touches the skin." She mumbled, leaning back into him.   
  
"Ah, so never?"  
  
"You're goin' to have to give me time." Rogue said quietly after a few minutes.

"Oh. You're a virgin, aren't you?"

"That has nothin' to do with it, dipshit! I'm just so used to arguin' with ya."   
  
"Who says we aren't goin' to argue anymore?"  
  
She paused. "Good question."  
  
His arm slipped around her neck. "So, want to go do some old fashin' blood wrestlin'?"   
  
"Oh, Remy, you're _so_ romantic."   
  
--------  
  
"You two have fun early this morning?" Mattie asked the two as she walked into the kitchen.   
  
"Well, if you must know, Tante Mattie you're goin' to be a great aunt." He paused. "Or somethin'."

Rogue just looked down at her stomach.

"You two haven't even known each other long enough." Mattie said with a dry laugh. "But it is good you two are gettin' along." She cleared her throat as Jean-Luc entered the kitchen. "Because you two would have to anyway."  
  
Rogue and Remy just exchanged glances.   
  
"Where's the damn ice?" Jean-Luc snapped just minutes later.  
  
--------  
  
**x.x I'll try to update tomorrow. I have a report for Health that's due on Friday and I have yet to start it.   
  
Thanks for reveiwin' y'all. 3**


	10. Chapter Nine

  
  
--  
  
Remy walked down the hallway. He had his mind set on sleeping since he hadn't been getting much sleep lately. Suddenly, the closet door opened and Rogue stepped out, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in, shutting the door behind him.   
  
"Never did it in a closet before." Remy smirked as he reached up and pulled on the hanging chain. When the light came on, Rogue pushed him back into the wall. It was a small closet, so he only leaned back against the wall, which was two inches away.   
  
"Did the kiss mean anythin' or did you do it at the spare of the moment o' somethin'?" She asked, sounding slightly nervous. "I mean, how can we go hatin' each other one minute an' making out the next?"  
  
"First of all, it was more than one minute." He stated, unsure of what to say. Remy reached into a pocket of a coat that was hanging up, and pulled something out. A peppermint. "Ooh." He unwrapped it and plopped it in his mouth.

"Don't eat that! You don't even know how old that is."   
  
"Don't nag me."   
  
"Fine. Then I hope ya choke."   
  
"If I do, will you give me CPR?"  
  
"Don't hold your breath."   
  
"If you were chokin', I'd give you CPR."

Rogue poked his shoulder. "You'd give me CPR even if I _wasn't_ choking." She poked his shoulder again. "You'd tackle me even if I wasn't an intruder."

He sighed. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"   
  
"Hell yeah. I love the way how your eyes burn when I bring it up."   
  
"They do not." He mumbled in a small voice when suddenly a strange noise was heard. It was the noise of a peppermint getting lodged in a certain Cajun's throat. He reached for his throat and made a wheezing sound.   
  
Rogue's face deadpanned. "You're _not_ serious." He was. "I told you not to eat it!" She reached over, opened the closet door, pulled the red faced Remy out and tried to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Don't fret; after nearly breaking all his ribs, she got it right on the fourth shot! The half dissolved peppermint flew out of his mouth.   
  
Remy coughed before snapping at Rogue; "You never told me not to eat it!"   
  
"Yes she did, boy. You should have listened to her." Mattie stood in the doorway leading to the living room. She smirked at their surprised looks. "Paper thin walls." She said, slowly turning around, "Paper thin walls."  
  
Things were quiet for several minutes.

Rogue gave Remy a playful shove. "Told ya."  
  
----------  
  
"Where's Jean-Luc?" Later that night, Remy walked into the kitchen to see Mattie stirring something in a pot with a wooden spoon.   
  
"Out." She answered as she slowly slid the wooden utensil out of the pot and covered it. (The pot, not the lid, mind you.) "Need help with anythin'?" She turned around and stared at him with her hands set on her hips.  
  
He shook his head, "No, what would make you think I need help with anything?"   
  
"Why else would you be lookin' for your father?"  
  
"Because he's my father whom I love and respect?" Remy tried, tilting his head a little. He didn't even believe his words. How sad.   
  
"Try again."   
  
"Because I want to lynch him and feed his remains to vultures?"

"That's more like it but I know you don't like talkin' to him because the minute he sees you he goes into a frenzy about what to rob next."  
  
"You know what, Tante Mattie? You're right. I'll be goin' now."   
  
"Such a _rogue_ boy." Mattie muttered, loud enough for him to hear it as he walked out of the room.   
  
"Funny." He shot at her with sarcasm right as he walked into Rogue. Remy stared at her surprised. "What are you doin' here?"  
  
"It's not that big of a house besides, I wanted to help Mattie with dinner." She said, giving him a weird look. "Did I interrupt anything?"   
  
"No. An' I'm helpin' 'er with supper."   
  
"You are?" Mattie and Rogue asked in unison. They both stared at the Cajun with wide eyes.   
  
"Boy, you haven't helped with dinner.. ever." Mattie picked the lid off the pot and titled it towards her so the steam didn't rise in her face. She then turned off the stovetop. "Why start now?"   
  
"Better late than never, neh?"   
  
"He does have skilled hands." Rogue said, smirking over at him. "He can put 'em to use and roll up some meatballs."   
  
Mattie smiled when she said he had skilled hands and had to bite down on her lower lip to keep herself from saying, 'and how would you know how skillful his hands were?' She nodded her head and nodded over to the table. "An' after you're done rollin' 'em up, Rogue can show you how to get the seasoning on."   
  
"I'm sure he can manage." Rogue said with a small laugh. "But if you want me to, I will."

The older woman nodded, "Thank ye, child. Now, how 'bout you make the puddin' for dessert?"  
  
"Sure, what kind?"

"Butterscotch."  
  
Remy immediately perked up. "Butterscotch?" And in unison, both Rogue and Remy had declared, "I love butterscotch."

Mattie just smiled.  
  
----------  
  
"Your meatballs look like dog dumplings." Ten minutes later, Mattie excused herself while the sauce for the spaghetti was cooking, leaving the two Southerners alone.   
  
"Shut up. So what if they're not in a perfect circle shape." He made a face at the oval shaped meatball in his hand. "You're just jealous."  
  
"Oh yeah, you know it." Rogue picked up the bowl of butterscotch pudding and set it in the fridge. After she closed the door, she walked over to Remy and gently pushed him aside. "Here, let me show ya." She took the meatball from his hand and within seconds, she made it into a perfectly shaped meatball.   
  
"Yeah, well, I'm culinary-challenged."

"You can say that again." She then rolled the meatball in some seasoning and set it down on sheet of foil.   
  
"_That again_." He whispered seductively into her ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I think you're the one with the skilled hands." She shivered at the feeling of his hot breath on her neck. "How about showin' me how skillful they really are.."   
  
"Maybe.." Rogue slowly turned her head so her eyes met his. She mumbled something else as he leaned in and their lips connected.  
  
Mattie stood in the doorway of the room, smiling at the two. She then turned around and walked down the hall, into the living room. When she did, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. "'Ello Mercy, it's Mattie, can I talk to Jean-Luc?" She waited. "Jean-Luc? It looks like you've lost the bet."  
  
----------


	11. Chapter Ten

  
  
--

Much later that night, after eating their misshaped meat balls, spaghetti and butterscotch pudding, Rogue and Remy sat on the roof top of the house, in a deep conversation.

"Why do guys wear black nail polish?" Rogue had asked, glancing down at his nails, which were not coated with a cheap black nail polish. Thank the lord.   
  
"For the same reason they wear eye liner."

"They're in _Pirates of The Caribbean_ movies?"   
  
"Not quite."   
  
"They're Bush representatives?"

"Not quite."   
  
She scooted over closer to him. "Put nail polish and eye liner on and tell me how you feel as a man."  
  
"I'd rather get castrated."

"That _can_ be arranged." Rogue had her hands placed neatly on her lap and raised a brow at Remy when he reached over and set his hand over hers and gave it a tight squeeze. "You know, some guys think wearing stockings is comfortable."   
  
"That's where I draw the line. No stockings for Remy."  
  
"So, you'll wear make-up?" She couldn't help but to smirk at the look on his face. It was so easy to get to him. Not when they were in an argument, that is.   
  
"_No_." He stressed, squeezing her hand tighter. "One strike left, chere, an' you're gettin' thrown off the roof."

"_Thrown_? Not accidentally pushed?" Rogue asked in mock horror. "Remy, I'm ashamed." She attempted to stand up, but ended up falling into him. She tried again, and once again ended up falling into him. Finally, on the third attempt, she stood up with the help of Remy. "I can't even look you in the face anymore."   
  
"Watch it." Remy mumbled, griping her calf. "If you fall I sure as hell ain't pullin' you back up." Although he had said it, he sure as hell didn't mean it.   
  
"How far down is the drop?"   
  
"Why don't you sit down and find out?" He suggested, looking around. "Throw a rock or somethin'."

"Oh yeah, 'cause there's just _so_ many rocks on your roof."   
  
"There's the chimney." He suggested, nodding his head towards the old brick chimney, which looked like it smoked a lot in its day. Rogue just mumbled something and sat down on Remy's lap.   
  
"I've always wanted to go down a chimney."   
  
"Not the one with great expectations, eh?" Remy asked with a small smirk as he leaned his head in and inhaled the scent of her hair. "That can be arranged but you have to wear a skimpy Mrs. Clause outfit."   
  
"Like in your dreams?"   
  
He let out a low whistle. "You don't even want me to answer that." In response, she nodded.  
  
"But I bet you tackle me continuously in your dreams."   
  
"That's it! You are goin' down the chimney!" Yet, he didn't even move a muscle. "Your hair smells nice."  
  
"Thank ya. Now would you mind removing your nose out of my hair? It's kind of freaky."  
  
"If I pulled out a patch of your hair and carried it around in my pocket, that would be freaky."  
  
"No, that'd be stalker-ish."   
  
"Rogue! Remy! Stop foolin' around up there and come down now!" Jean-Luc's loud voice broke through the silent night air.  
  
"Can you yell that a little louder?" Remy yelled back as Rogue immediately leans outward, so he wouldn't yell in her ear and cause her to become deaf in a few years, "I don't think the people in Australia heard you correctly."****

--  
  
"Get away!" Rogue cried out, laughing as hurried down the stairs and into the hallway.

"Come on, let me see!" He called after her, running as fast as his legs would take him. He did come to an abrupt stop with Rogue tripped over the carpet and fell prone to the ground. She clutched the wanted item and buried it under her chest. There was no way she was going to give up that easily.

--  
  
"They sound like a horde of elephants." Jean-Luc mumbled as he took a mouthful from his can of beer.

"You're just mad 'cause you lost the bet." Mattie looked up from the magazine article she was reading and smirked at him.  
  
"I still have a chance."

"Oh, no you don't."   
  
He just mumbled something and chugged down the rest of his beer. It wasn't until he heard a repeated thud; he set down the empty can and stood up.  
  
--   
  
"Let me see!"

"Never!"  
  
Once again, the race was on. Rogue was in the lead, running up and down hallways and through the living room. Remy was behind her, not running as fast as he could. Now, both of them were on each side of the coffee table. Remy had his eyes on the item Rogue was clutching to her chest.  
  
"We can do this the hard way or the easy way." He admonished, smirking at her as their eyes met. Both were flushed and slightly out of breath.   
  
"Give me liberty or give me death!" She declared, stepping back so that the back of her legs were pressed up against the couch. The second he lunged forward, she went back, brought her knees up to her chest and then with as much force as she could, she extended her legs. It didn't work out exactly as planned, but he did get kicked and fell off balance. In a beat, when he fell in the space between the table and couch, Rogue took a second to laugh and then took off.

Remy just mumbled some choice words as he got to his feet and went after her. Right as he made it to the beginning of the hall, from the corner of his eye he saw Rogue going upstairs. He ran up the stairs, skipping over a few, he caught up to her and grabbed her by the back of her shirt. When she fell against him, he lost balance and they both tumbled down the stairs.   
  
--

"Ugh, you broke me." Rogue groaned, rubbing her sides. She turned around and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I broke you? You broke me." He groaned back, never wanting to stand up again. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"If two don't cut it out, I'm gettin' the hose again." Jean-Luc snapped, staring down at the two. "Y'all are too old to be actin' so childish over nothin'."

Remy's eyes snapped open and both he and Rogue sat up. Remy quickly reached over and grabbed the book laying by the end of the stairs. 'Rogue's picture album.' He thought with a grin as he pulled away from Rogue who was trying to grab it from him. "Now, lets see what Rogue looked like when she was a youngin'. Terrible acne? Braces? Frizzy hair? The world is about to find out."   
  
Jean-Luc rolled his eyes as Rogue tried to grab the book from him. He was about to go get the hose when there came a loud, sharp knock at the door. He told the two to stop acting like child and to shut up as he walked over and opened the door. Rogue and Remy went still, but that didn't stop Remy from opening the album.   
  
"Mystique, what a surprise.." They heard Jean-Luc say just seconds later.   
  
--

Sorry, but I'm incredibly busy. . Yesterday I had to do community service (cleaned up the streets around my school and such) and got sun burn all over my face and arms. =( I have school work to make up and tests to study for. I'll update this story by Friday night. = This fic was only supposed to be about 4 to five chapters long. Ugh. There's going to be either one or two more chapters.

I heart butterscotch pudding


	12. Chapter Eleven

--

"What are they talkin' about?" Rogue stood outside the kitchen, peeking in to see Jean-Luc and Mystique sitting at the kitchen table, across from each other, talking quietly. _'If only I could read lips._' She squinted at their moving lips but unless they were saying, 'I love to eat chicken,' she was no lip reader. She then glanced down at Remy, who was sitting against the wall, happily going through her photo album.   
  
"Don't you ever smile in pictures?" He asked, carelessly flipping the page. What intrigued him the most was how in every picture she had the white streaks. Even in the embarrassing 'naked in the bathtub as a baby' picture she had white steaks in her hair.   
  
"Don't you do anything other than smirk in _your_ pictures?" She shot back at him, recalling the pictures Mattie had shown her. Rogue then took a seat down next to him and glanced over at the picture he was looking at. "Wow. I do look like someone killed my dog in my old pictures." She reached over and gently ran her fingertips over the picture. "And that's _before_ I got my powers."

Remy grunted; eyeing the spiked collar she was wearing in the picture. "You look like _you_ killed other people's dogs."   
  
"Okay, enough pictures." She decided, reaching over to take it from him. He immediately pulled away from her and got to his feet.

"I'm not finished!" He held it up in the air, out of her reach. "Aren't we a little grabby today?" He smirked and wiggled his brows suggestively at her.   
  
"I hate you." Rogue growled; evil and sexual thoughts ran through her impure mind. Shut up, like evil and sexual thoughts about Remy aren't in your mind.

"No, you don't. You love me."  
  
"I'd love to choke you."  
  
"You'd _love_ to choke my chicken." Rogue just rolled her eyes at the comment, but didn't deny it.

"Wow Rem.." She walked in closer towards him and out of nowhere, she cupped his chin in her hand. "You have nice lips.."

"Forget it, you ain't gettin' the album back until I go through all of it."

Famous last words.

The second Rogue's lips touched his; he dropped the album and immediately wrapped his arms around her. Right before his arms could get a secure lock around her, she dropped down, grabbed the album and ran.

"Damn." He reached up and touched his lips. What the hell had just happened?

Rogue had happened, apparently.                                

--

"Cherry." Rogue jumped when she felt arms encircle around her waist from behind. The hairs stuck up on her neck when she felt Remy's breath on her neck. She sucked in air, tensing up as he rested his chin in the nook beside her neck.

"What?" She placed her hands on his wrists.  She could almost sense the smirk on his face as he kissed the spot on her neck where his chin had been.

"Cherry lip gloss."  He mumbled, inhaling the scent of her hair. "Cherry conditioner, no? Does Rogue have a liking for the artificial scent of cherries?"     
  
"I want to know why Mystique is here." She said monotone, not even listening to him. She was good at fading out voices.

"What does that have to do with cherries?" Remy decided to just let it go, although, now he had a hankering for cherries. "I'm sure it's nothin'." But he knew with Mystique, it was never just 'nothing.' He realized he hadn't exactly told Rogue that he had fought against Mystique's 'team' several times.   
  
Rogue just shrugged against him and sighed. "I need to take a cold shower."

Remy immediately smirked. "'Cause you're standin' so close to me?" No, actually Remy, she was just about in your arms..

"No, because it's so dang hot in here."

"Dang?" He mused, allowing her to pull away from him. "_Dang_?"

"Damn?" She tried again, without much care or thought. Rogue then pulled her album out from behind a large teddy bear that was sitting on a chair. She then sat on her bed and patted the empty space next to her.

"You're goin' to willingly.."

"Just sit down before I change my mind."           

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her, giving her a look.

"What?" She asked, sounding impatient. A slight frown masked her amusement and his pose; he looked like a clothed underwear model with a perplexed look as he decided: boxers or briefs?

"Nothin'."

"Don't lie to me. What?"

"It's nothin'."

"Tell me before I get tweezers and pull out every peach fuzz stand on your chin."

For being the adopted child of an assassin, she surely did have her unique ways (or threats) of getting information, or what she wanted. "I was thinkin'." He stated, looking self conscious as his eyes darted across the room.

Rogue raised her brows. He was avoiding eye contact with her. How cute yet annoying at the same time. "Don't let me stop you, go on. Thinkin' 'bout what?"

"It's nothin', really."

"It's always somethin. Tell me, _now_." Just the stern sound of her voice made him want to recoil. Not that many people had that effect on him.

"I was thinkin' about how.." He placed his index finger on his chin as he looked up to carefully pick out his words.

Rogue rolled her eyes and fell back, hugging the album against her chest. "Any day now."

"Hold on. I'm thinkin'." Seven minutes went by until he sighed. "I can't remember." He paused, waiting for her to jump up and throw him out the window. "Rogue?"

She had fallen asleep.

"Figures." He mumbled, crawling onto the bed. He laid next to her after taking her picture album and tossing it on the floor. "Besides, it didn't take me _that_ long.." With a yawn, he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

--

"What do you want with the girl now?" Jean-Luc asked, burping as he got to his feet. He dragged his feet over to the fridge and took out a can of beer. "I still need her, y'know. This wasn't in the contact."

"There was no contact, you fool." Mystique hissed, slamming her fist down on the table. "It was I leave her here with you, and she'll work for you. That's all. I want her back now."

"She's valuable to me. You think I'm goin' to give her up that easily?"

"You have your son back—"  
  
"Remy ain't really in the business anymore." He corrected with a snarl as he opened the can that was clutched in his hand.

"She's my daughter, Jean-Luc. She does what I tell her to say and tomorrow, she's leaving with _me_." Mystique stood up so quickly, the chair she had been sitting on fell back. "Don't double-cross me, LeBeau. You won't even get to live long to regret it."

"She's your adopted daughter, Mystique. What do you want with her? You want 'er to steal some candy? A toaster? You need 'er for her fightin' skills?"

"She's coming back to Bayville with me to join my team of mutants."

"So, you goin' to make her wear spandex and run around doin' goody-goody stuff?"

"Quite the opposite. I only need her for a while."

Anger flashed in Mattie's eyes. She was standing outside the kitchen. _How could she treat Rogue like that? They're actin' as if she's the town bicycle, like she's property. Remy, too._

"It's not safe for me to have her up there too long. I can't risk Xavier recruiting her. Then she's useless to both of us. Now, take me to go see her."

"There's somethin' you should know, Mystique. I lost the bet." Jean-Luc muttered, chugging down half the beer.

Mystique just cracked a wicked smile. "Your son is Remy LeBeau; Gambit, isn't he? I think I could make this work.."

--


	13. Chapter Twelve

--

"I see you've turned my daughter into a softie." Mystique quietly commented to Jean-Luc when they walked into Rogue's room only to see Rogue and Remy both asleep on her bed. They looked pretty cozy, if you know what I'm saying. The blue skinned temperamental woman walked over to Rogue and shook her roughly by the shoulder. When Rogue swatted her hand away and mumbled something about not wanting to go to school, she had it. "_Rogue_." Mystique warned, raising her voice.

Outside, birds flew from their rests, wanting to get away from the terrible sound that had broken through their peace and quietness.

Rogue's eyes snapped open. "Mystique?" She asked, practically choking on her own tongue. "What the hell are ya doin' here?" She glanced down at Remy to see him stirring. When he saw Mystique, he fell off the bed.

"What the heck is _she_ doin' here?" He asked deadpanned, receiving a glare from the older woman. 

"Gambit." Mystique stated coldly, tightening her jaw. "How missed you are back in Bayville." It was a complete and total lie. A lot of storeowners were happy their stuff wasn't 'disappearing' anymore, so they were too busy celebrating until they were robbed again to miss the culprit.

"I bet." He shot at her, getting to his feet. Rogue then looked up at him with an appraised look.

"You two know each other?" Rogue asked, debating if whether or not she should pinch herself to see if this was a dream. "How? You guys weren't.." She glanced back and forth at them. "Nah."

"Weren't what?" Remy asked, folding his arms over his chest. His eyes suddenly widened slightly. "_Dieu, no_! She was the X-Men's enemy."

"The _what_ men?" Rogue asked, scrunching up her nose in confusion. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Y'all are crazy."

"Rogue." Mystique said in a stern voice, after she shot Remy a look. "We need to talk." She glanced up at Remy, narrowing her eyes on him momentarily before looking back down at her adopted daughter. "Alone."

Remy put his hands up, and rolled his eyes. "Don't let me be a bother." Rogue smiled, and was amused by the sarcastic tone in his voice, while on the other hand, Mystique was nearly growling at him. Remy walked over to Rogue, while keeping his eyes on the angry looking Mystique, kissed his dear Southerner on the forehead and then walked out of the room while glancing behind his shoulder. He knew better than to turn your back to an enemy. Jean-Luc followed out behind him, closing the door behind him.

"Rogue. I am ready for you to come to Bayville with me." Mystique was very blunt about what she wanted. There was no point in beating around the bush with Rogue.

"Oh, sure. Just let me go pack my bags." Rogue spat at her, making a face of disgust. "How can you just say that? Maybe I like it here." She raised her brows at her. "Hmm, Mystique? Ever think about that?"

"It's time for you to do your job."

"You mean it's time for me to do _your_ job."

"Are you being flippant with me?"            

"Flip—_what_?"

Mystique impatiently tapped her foot. "I want you to come back to New York with me. You can be with your own kind."

"Remy's a mutant." Rogue pointed out, not liking the sound of 'your own kind.' It was true she was a mutant, but she was still a human being.

"Rogue, stop arguing with me. Come back with me. Consider it a vacation."

Who was she fooling? "A vacation?"

"You _will_ be coming back here."

Rogue bit down on her lower lip, wondering whether or not to believe her.

--

"Remy, get away from the door." Mattie pulled Remy away from the door by the back of his shirt. "Besides, if you're goin' to do that, you might as well get a glass to put against the door so you can hear better."

"Don't encourage 'im, Mattie." Jean-Luc muttered, rolling his eyes. "Jus' let Mystique and the girl talk."

"What is she doin' here?" Remy asked as they walked down the hall. "Does it have somethin' to do with Rogue?"

"Obviously." Jean-Luc snapped, receiving two odd stares from Mattie and Remy.

"Someone is cranky." Mattie commented quietly to Remy, who leaned in towards her.

"Did he stop taking his midday naps?" He asked loudly, placing his hands besides his mouth as if he were talking quietly and didn't want Jean-Luc to see his moving lips.

"Must have." She said, nodding her head a little as a smile cracked onto her face. "Don't mind 'im boy, Jeannie boy here is in a bad mood because he lost a bet."

"_Mattie_." Jean-Luc stressed her name at the mentioning of the bet.

Remy glanced at Mattie, then at Jean-Luc, and then back at Mattie. "What bet?"

--

"I ain't bein' in no Brotherhood. I could barely stand Remy at first, never mind a bunch of rogue guys." Rogue said, making a face as she stretched out on her bed.

"There is a girl there. Her name is Scarlet Witch." Mystique was now leaning against the wall; an aggravated expression was set upon her blue face.

"Oh, that sounds _real_ temptin' now." Rogue stated sarcastically as she folded her arms underneath her head. "I'm comfortable here, Mystique."

"There's even a more comfortable bed back in New York."

Rogue closed her eyes and counted backwards from ten. "Not that kind of comfortable, as in a bed. As in, I like it here. I like Mattie, Jean-Luc when he's drunk and Remy." When she opened her eyes, she still felt like strangling her so called mother.

"Gambit, hmm? You have a real liking for him?" Mystique pondered, slightly smirking.

"I'm not goin' to discuss that with _ya_."

"So, you do. Is that why you don't want to leave? You want to be near your sex toy? I've taught and have trained you better than that Rogue. I'm better off not sending you that serum shit anymore if _that's_ what you use it for. I can't believe you won't break away from him for several weeks just to spend a little time with your mother."

"Some mother you are."

--

"You betted against me?" Remy asked, his eyes wide. What the hell were they talking about? He shook his head and was about to say something until Mattie spoke.

"Actually, I betted for you." She smiled, reaching up to pat his head. "Boy, no one knows you better than I do." She gave Jean-Luc a look. "It was twinkle toes here who taught you wouldn't fall for the pretty green eyed Southerner 'cause she kind of took over your place. I knew you two would hit it off. So what if it took a li'l fallin', blood spillin' an' fightin' to make it work?"

Remy just groaned, feeling as if he had been set up. "So, Jean-Luc lost?"

When a loud crash was heard in the door several feet down the hall, Jean-Luc shrugged. "Maybe not."

--


	14. Chapter Thirteen

--

"Do _not_ threaten me. Ever. I may be your adopted daughter, Mystique but I never goin' to let you walk all over me." Rogue snapped into Mystique's face. There was about an inch of space between them. While Rogue had an invincible scowl on her face, Mystique looked slightly shocked, but got over it.

"I can't believe you don't even want to do me a simple favor. After all I did for you."

"'After all you did for me'? You adopted me when I was four and stuck me with Irene." Rogue slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about all the trips you took back home to train me. I'm sorry, _mother_," She spat, "I'm sorry that you even bothered to adopt me when apparently I'm your goddamn play toy; only using me when you want."

Mystique rolled her eyes. "If that's how you see it then let it be. I don't need you and apparently you don't need me."

"Apparently?" Rogue asked with an amused laugh. She backed away from her, with her arms crossed over her chest.

Mystique just smirked at her. It was an evil smirk, an evil 'I have a plan' smirk. "I'm heading back to Bayville tomorrow and I guarantee that _someone_ is coming back with me."

"What time is it?" Rogue then asked, sitting down on her bed. She fiddled nervously with her gloves. Mystique slowly walked up to her.

"Around seven."

Rogue just nodded as she stood up. "I'll go with you."

"You will?"

Rogue stood up, facing her. "Hell no." In a beat, Rogue reached up and touched her face. "An' I ain't goin' to sit around wonderin' what you're plannin' to do next." She said as Mystique fell to the ground unconscious.

The door suddenly opened and both Mattie and Jean-Luc appeared in. Remy stood behind him, smirking at Rogue when they noticed the unconscious prone Mystique.

"Wow. An' here I thought the situation would've been reversed." Jean-Luc stated, scratching the back of his head.

"I don't wanna go." Rogue proclaimed, then suddenly scrunched up her nose. "That is, if you guys want me to go."

Mattie beamed at her and winked. "We don't want you to go, dear. Especially Remy."

Remy, who looked like he just woken up from a deep sleep, blinked. "Huh?" He asked, looking around the room. "Who's goin' where?"

"Rogue, boy!" Mattie snapped, elbowing him hard in the stomach.

"Oh, she's leavin'?" He asked with a shrug as he waved at Rogue. "Bye, Rogue." When Rogue cocked a brow and Mattie gave him a surprised look, he felt a lump form in his throat. "Oh, you're serious?"

"Gee, thanks Rem." Rogue mumbled, rolling her eyes. "It's good to know you care so much about me. Maybe I should go to Bayville with Mystique.." Suddenly, as the delayed memories swirled around in her mind, she fell back onto her bed. Within a minute, she sent Jean-Luc a look. "You, Mattie _an'_ Mystique had a bet 'gainst me an' Remy?"

Remy deadpanned. "Mystique was in it, too? Geez, what is this, a reality TV show? There people out there readin' this an' lookin' down at their bettin' stubs?"

"It was jus' a silly ol bet." Jean-Luc laughed, trying to push aside the matter of the bet.

"But what are the stakes?" Rogue asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Wait.." She closed her eyes, and looked like she was concentrating. Seeing as how she was going through memories, she pretty much was concentrating. "You bet on us and used us for the winnings of the bet?"

Mattie laughed nervously and nodded. "Looks like I own you two."

"Not yet, Mattie." Jean-Luc said, putting his hand up. "They have to officially be a couple."

"So, either we do that or just officially loathe each other?" Remy asked slightly amused. "An' if we loathed each other?"

"You'd be separated between Jean-Luc and Mystique." Mattie answered quite simply.

Remy immediately tensed up. "Hey Rogue, I love you."

"Yeah, me too."

He reached over, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him. "C'mon, let's go get hitched."

"Uh, Rem, dear. Your hand goes any lower an' you're goin' night-night."

"My hand ain't anywhere near your ass."

"That's not what I meant." She groaned, pulling away from him. "I can absorb ya right now, y'know."

"Oh no, then you'll know all my deepest, darkest, most guarded secrets." He winked, squeezing his grip on her arm. "You'll see all my dirty little secrets an'.."

"Son, may I remind you, you're standing above an assassin, holdin' an assassin's hand, an' sayin' stuff we all can blackmail ya with later." Jean-Luc pointed out with a smirk. 

Rogue glanced down at Mystique, who now had a rivulet of drool dripping down from her mouth onto the floor. "I really don't want to be here when she wakes up. I have to go to my room quickly, then after that Remy an' I are leavin'."

"We're really gettin' hitched?"

"Naw, we're goin' for a drive. You'll see, sugah." With her other hand, which was gloved, she patted the side of his face and left the room.

"She has you whipped, boy." Mattie smiled, slowly turning to leave.

"Flipped, fried, shaken and stirred." Jean-Luc added, leaving everyone, who was conscious, who heard him confused as to what the hell he meant. I'm pretty sure you get the idea, though.

--   
  
"Ready to go, swamp rat?"

"I've been ready, _river rat_." He said, emphasizing on the two last words as he grabbed her gloved hand and they walked out the front door.

"River rat?"

"You ain't the only rat."

"Don't call me a rat."

"Fine. Then don't call me one either."

"Alright, _swampy_." 

"Jus' for that, I'm drivin'."

"Hey Rem.." Rogue then transformed into Mystique after tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll be drivin'."

"Freak." He stated as she transformed into him. "Jus' like a mirror."

"Ever kiss yourself?"

"Other than in the mirror? No." Whether or not he was kidding, is left up to you. "An' I don't think I want to. I have nicely shaped that are lips meant to kiss _filles_, not my own."

"_Girls_?" Now, it was Rogue in front of him. "You're taken now."

"Did I say filles? I meant.. fillets."

"You don't like fish."

"Shut up and get in the car."

"Ooh, aren't we aggressive."

--

"So, where we goin'?" Remy asked, lowering the seat in the car. When he was finished, he leaned back with his arms folded beneath his head.

"I don't know. Canada, maybe." Rogue suggested, griping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Maybe I should drive. You look like you'll end up ramming into a truck full of chickens."

"Don't be a backseat driver."

"But I'm in the _front_ seat."

"Don't be a smart-ass either."

"You're so commandin'." He smirked, looking over at her. "I like it."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "I'm glad ya approve."

"You said you wanted to talk." All of a sudden, he actually sounded serious. "About what?"

"Mystique an' Jean-Luc."

"What 'bout 'em?"

"Never mind. I don't want to talk to you."

"Who else you gonna talk to? The chickens you're goin' to ram us into?" He asked, unfolding his arms from behind his head as he sat up straight. "You can talk to me."

"You didn't see what I saw."

"So then you're goin' to talk to yourself? I'm here, Rogue.." He reached over and set his hand over hers, which was still griping the steering wheel.

"You know the real Mystique. You've fought combat with her. You know what she's really like.. and I don't like that."

"Me or her?" He asked, his eye twitching due to the fact he didn't understand what she was talking about.

"Her. I don't want her fight her battle in Bayville."

"Then don't."

"She thinks if she doesn't get me, she'll get you."

Remy sighed, running a hand through his messy mane of hair. "Goddammit. Where are the goddamn 'for sale' signs on us?"

"I don't know. Check your back."

He just nodded, but didn't say anything else about that. "So, now you know all of Mystique's secrets?"

"Most of them. I'm kind of blocking out most of the memories now."

He stared at her, studying the side of her face. "So then you know about Kurt?"

Her face remained emotionless. "It doesn't matter. Mystique just adopted me. I'm not blood related to him or _her_."

"Thank dieu, I'm glad you ain't anythin' like Mystique. I'd be castrated if you were. Although you do have a bit of her attitude."

"Shut up, I do not."

"So you're stayin'?"

She glanced sideways at him. "If you are."

"I was never goin' anywhere."

Rogue just smiled as she made a U-turn on the deserted dirt road. "And neither was I."

Remy smirked leaning back in the seat. "But you ain't my replacement anymore."

"I'm not?" She asked, trying to sound surprised. "I can rearrange that. I do know five ways to kill a person with my bare hands."

"Five? I know _eight_." He joked, making a clicking tongue with his tongue. "Shameful, shameful. You have a lot to learn."

"An' so do you, _swampy_."

--

Later that night, Mattie sat on the couch, needle pointing. She had her feet propped up on a footrest and had a small smile planted on her face. Mystique had left hours earlier, without Rogue or even Remy. She vowed that she'd be back and Rogue would beg to come back to Bayville with her. What fantasy world was she living in? "Jean-Luc!" She called, picking up a bell and ringing it. A grumpy looking Jean-Luc appeared a minute later, wearing a white apron.

"You called?" He asked in a bitter voice, through clenched teeth.

"Yes, I'd like an ice tea, please." Her smile widened as he grumbled some un-type-able words and walked away after snapping 'right away.' Mattie wasn't the type to gamble, but she was glad she betted for Remy since she knew him oh so well. It was worth having Jean-Luc as a slave for a month.

What? That wasn't mentioned?

Opps.

"Where are you two goin'?" Mattie asked as Remy and Rogue walked through the room, both had their coats on. "Didn't you two go for a drive earlier?"

"Yes, but now we're goin' _out_." Remy winked at Mattie as he walked of the room, with Rogue.

_Ah, to be young and not to have to wear a girdle._ Mattie thought with a happy sigh.

--

Yes, it's stupid. I know. This story was going too slow and I wanted to finish it. Now it's finished. No epilogue. I did have an idea for a sequel (I like the idea of Rogue not with the X-Men and working with the guild and stuff) but I don't know if I want (well, I want to but I don't think I _can_) to do it. Now I'm gonna focus on finishing Changes. sighs

Thanks for reading and review you beautiful people, you.


End file.
